My Girl
by mynameisella
Summary: "They killed my entire family, and my girl." Before the 60th Hunger Games, children of the Seam and of the Town weren't allowed to even be friends, let alone anything more. Shortly before the 48th Hunger Games, Rose Bennett- the shoemaker's daughter- meets and falls for Haymitch Abernathy- child of the Seam. This is their story.


_Meeting_

"Rose, where are you off to?" Eliza Bennett demanded as her fourteen year old daughter skipped out of the door of the family's shoemaking shop. Rose paused at the door, turning back to look at her mother. Her long blonde curls shimmered in the sunlight and her blue eyes shined as she smiled.

"Just going around town," she answered. She was lying- she had a destination in mind- but her mother couldn't tell. Amelia, Rose's younger sister, perked up from her spot at the kitchen table.

"Can I come?" She asked eagerly. Rose shook her head.

"No, I just wanna be alone. Sorry, Mia." She opened the door and was almost out when her mother stopped her again.

"Rose, sweetie, why don't you stay in today?" Eliza asked, placing the empty plates from their meager breakfast in the sink. "Tomorrow is the Reaping. We should spend the day as a family." Rose bit her lip. This was exactly why she had wanted to sneak out before her mother had noticed.

"I won't be out long," Rose promised. "Just for a little while! Please, Mom?" Rose widened her light blue eyes, pouting slightly. Though she was fourteen, Rose still had a youthfulness about her that convinced her mother to give in to whatever she wanted. Eliza sighed.

"Fine. Just, be back by three, alright?" Rose glanced at the time being projected on the wall, which read nine in the morning. She nodded, closing the door before her mother could say anything else.

Rose walked down the street of the Town- the area in District Twelve where merchants and their families lived. Rose looked down at the ground as she walked, looking at her swishy light pink dress as she went along. The dress was the one she had worn to the Reaping the previous few years, but her mother had convinced the tailor to make her a new one for a low price, so she had chosen to wear this one today. It was pretty and light, which was nice in the heat of mid-June.

Rose quickly left the Town, rushing through the Seam. People from the Town generally didn't venture into the Seam, so Rose was a little uncomfortable as she walked. Still, this was the only way she knew to the place she wanted to go, so she just hurried through.

Finally, she made it. There was this beautiful meadow just at the edge of the District. Wildflowers scattered the knee-length grass, and Rose sat down and began to pick some of the flowers. She arranged little bouquets out of them, complementing the pretty purple flowers with white ones, and pink flowers with yellow ones.

The sun felt wonderful on her face, so she set the bouquet she was assembling on top of the others and laid back, closing her eyes. She felt wonderful. It was quiet; the only sounds she could hear were leaves rustling in the breeze and the songs of mockingjays in the distance. The sweet aroma of flowers flooded her nose and the sun warmed every part of her body.

She had no idea how long she was there. After a while, she even fell asleep. She was roused from her pleasant slumber by an unfamiliar voice asking, "What are you doing here?" Rose's eyes fluttered open and, silhouetted by the sunshine, she could see the outline of a boy.

She sat up quickly, dazed. She looked up at the boy, taking in his looks once she could see him better. He was definitely a boy from the Seam; he had dark curls, grey eyes, and olive skin. He was cute, there was no denying that. She smiled lazily up at him, leaning back on her hands.

"Hi," she said quietly. He sat down next to her.

"I asked you a question," he reminded her. She snorted lightly, shaking her head. She noticed out of the corner of her eye that she had bits of flowers and grass in her curls.

"You know, I did just wake up." She told him. "How am I supposed to remember anything when I'm half asleep?" He raised his eyebrows at her. "What was your question again?" She yawned, covering it with her hand.

"I asked why you're here." This time, Rose was the one to raise her eyebrows.

"What? Is this your private meadow or something?" She asked. She nodded to the small hut-like house at the edge of the meadow, which she had thought was abandoned. "Do you live there?"

"No," he answered. "But merchants' kids don't usually come to the Seam." He reached forward. Rose flinched a little as his hand came close to the side of her face. But, instead of hitting her like she thought he was going to, he picked a flower from her hair. He held it out to her and she took it gingerly, twirling it in her fingers. It was small, with four petals, and matched her dress perfectly.

"Well, how could I resist such a beautiful meadow?" She asked teasingly. He smirked and Rose's heart skipped a beat. He was really, _really _attractive. And Rose was at that age where she was actually noticing that about boys, and she couldn't help but stare at him. "I'm Rose, by the way." She said suddenly. "Rose Bennett."

"Pretty name," he commented. Rose frowned. The way he said it made it hard for her to discern if he really thought it was pretty or if he was lying. "I'm Haymitch Abernathy."

Rose slipped the flower he had given her behind her ear and leaned forward to be closer to him. "So, Haymitch Abernathy, what are you doing tomorrow?" She could tell by the sun that she needed to get home soon, but she didn't want to leave him. He was different and interesting- she could feel it.

He chuckled. "You do realize that the Reaping is tomorrow, don't you? Or do you merchant kids not have to worry about that?" Rose was a little taken aback by his rudeness, but she liked it. He wasn't afraid to say what he really thought. After a second, Rose recovered and rolled her eyes.

"I meant after the Reaping, stupid." She retorted. She smiled to let him know she wasn't being mean. He smiled back.

"Well, I guess I'm meeting you here an hour after," he told her. Rose's smile grew.

"Good." She said, standing up. "I have to be getting home now. I'll see you tomorrow." In a moment of courage, Rose swooped down and gave him a light kiss on the cheek. She sauntered off before he could say anything.

When Rose got home, she ran up to her room and selected one of the few books off her shelf. She opened it to a page in the middle and slipped the small flower in, closing the book. Smiling to herself, she turned to her cracked mirror and began plucking pieces of grass, flower petals, and the occasional stick out of her hair.

_First Kiss_

Snow blanketed the ground of District Twelve as Rose and Amelia Bennett left their house. Rose had wanted to run to the meadow right away, but her mother had insisted that she take Amelia to school first. It was Amelia's last year of school, as her first Reaping was coming up, but Eliza and John didn't want her walking by herself. Plus, Rose was supposed to stop by the bakery after dropping Amelia off at school.

Rose was a bit disgruntled, as she knew that Haymitch would be waiting for her at the meadow. They met their everyday, though no one knew. Town kids and Seam kids just didn't spend time together. Merchants thought lowly of the people in the Seam, and people in the Seam thought merchants and their kids were egotistical and spoiled. It was taboo for Haymitch and Rose to spend time together, but that didn't stop them.

Rose wondered what she and Haymitch were going to do- it was the first really cold day of the year, and they couldn't very well spend it in the meadow. She wondered if they'd have to stop seeing each other until it grew warmer. The thought saddened her; she had started to like him quite a bit and wouldn't like to not spend time with him anymore.

Rose was a little too quick to run off when the two of them made it to the school. She was a bit rude at the bakery when she bought two loaves of bread, and was in and out when dropping the loaves off. She ran as fast as she could to the meadow, careful not to slip on any ice.

She slowed down when the meadow came into view. She smiled when she saw him sitting on a rock in the meadow, his back to her. Her cheeks were pink from the cold and she could see her breath in the air as she made her way over to him. The snow crunched under her boots and he turned when he heard it.

"Hey," she said as she got closer. He stood, a smile on his face. "So, what are we gonna do today?" Haymitch took her hand and held it. Their gloves were too thick to actually feel the other person's hand, but it was still nice to hold hands.

"Well, I thought we'd go to my house." Haymitch told her. "It's too cold to stay here, and my mom is at work and my brother's at school, so no one will be home." Rose nodded.

"Okay, then."

Haymitch's house wasn't too far from the meadow, Rose learned. His house was smaller than hers, but she didn't care. It was a lot cozier than hers, so she immediately liked it better. They sat at the table and talked, just as they had every day at the meadow.

"So, what do your parents think you're doing everyday when you're with me?" Haymitch asked out of the blue when a lull in the conversation arose. Rose played with her hair a moment.

"Well, I found out that Mary Ellen Conrad- you know, the daughter of the apothecary seller- is hanging out with Michael Everdeen. And then, she figured out that I've been spending time with you. So, we made a deal. We each tell our parents that we're hanging out with each other and cover for the other when someone asks." Rose shrugged. "It's worked quite well, so far."

"Mary Ellen- who is she again?"

"The one who hangs out with Mayislee Donner." Rose replied. "And, you know what? We-" Rose was cut off by Haymitch pressing his lips against her own. Her blue eyes widened at first, but she got over her shock quickly and closed them, kissing him back. She couldn't lie- she had imagined kissing him many times. Her heart pounded loudly as her hands found his hair. His hands slipped behind her neck as he pulled her closer.

They pulled away, and this time the pink of Rose's cheeks wasn't from the cold.

_House_

It was shortly after Rose's fifteenth birthday and it was growing warmer outside again. Haymitch and Rose had gone back to spending time in the meadow. One day, when Rose had gotten to the meadow first, she sat in the grass and stared at the small house that sat at the edge of the meadow.

As Haymitch plopped next to her, she asked, "Haymitch? Who lives there?" She pointed, turning to look at him. He quickly pecked her on the lips before answering.

"No one. No one's lived there for years." Rose grinned, jumping up. She ran over to the house, grabbing the doorknob. She frowned when it wouldn't turn.

"What are you doing?" Haymitch asked, jogging over to her.

"I've always wondered what it was like in there. If no one lives there, why can't I find out?" She asked, moving to the window and peeking in. Even when she cupped her hands around her eyes, she couldn't see through the dirty window.

One look at Haymitch and Rose knew what they would be doing that day. They spent the entire day scouring the meadow, looking in vain for a key to the house. Finally, they kissed goodbye, Rose disappointed that they couldn't find it. She walked home, knowing that Haymitch was watching as she went.

That night, just as she did every night, she opened her book and looked at her pressed flower. She smiled at it, stroking a petal softly. She kissed it lightly before closing the book again. She blew her candle out and went to sleep.

The next morning, she hurried to the meadow, just as she did every day. She was surprised to see Haymitch standing at the edge of the meadow, practically bouncing as he waited for her. Usually, he would sit down while he waited. She jogged over to him, looking at his excited face curiously. Without a word, he held up a small, golden key.

"You found it!" She gasped. "How?"

"It was on top of the door," he told her. "Same place my mom keeps the key to our house. Ready to see what's inside?" Rose nodded excitedly and followed him. He slid the key into the lock. He teased her, twisting the key very slowly.

"Hey!" She slapped his arm lightly. "Don't be mean." He chuckled and unlocked the door. They stepped inside the musty old house. It was incredibly small- one room with a bed, a counter, a fireplace, and a table. Everything was covered in dust, which caused Haymitch to sneeze.

"Well, this is kind of disappointing," Haymitch stated. Rose waved at him to shut him up.

"It's perfect," she mumbled. "It's absolutely perfect."

"Really?" Haymitch asked, looking at her like she was crazy. She nodded.

"Yea, it is. I really wanna live here." Rose dragged a finger on the counter, making a noticeable line in the dust. "All it needs is a little cleaning."

The next day, the two of them had brought rags and a bucket of water. They spent the day clearing the place of dust and dirt and set a vase of flowers on the table. Rose sent Haymitch out to get some more flowers and pulled some cloth from her bag.

When Haymitch brought the flowers in, he glanced around the room. He could tell that something was off, but he couldn't figure out what it was. Rose was filling the second vase with water, readying it for the flowers. She took them from his hands and put them in the vase, sliding it around the counter to find the perfect spot for it.

"There's a sheet on the bed," Haymitch observed. Rose blushed, but nodded.

"Yea."

_Disownment_

Rose, after yet another day with Haymitch, came home a bit late. She knew she was going to be in trouble- it was very close to the Reaping and the Peacekeepers were stricter than ever- but she had no idea what was in store for her.

Her first clue that something was really off was the fact that both of her parents were waiting for her in the living room. Her mother was leaning on her father's arm, both were standing in the middle of the room.

Rose flinched when the door squeaked. She had hoped she could sneak by and escape to her bedroom. Both parents turned to look at her.

"Where were you, young lady?" John Bennett demanded. Rose's heart pounded loudly.

"With Mary Ellen." She answered automatically. "We went-"

"Mary Ellen's parents caught her with that Seam boy- What's-His-Name Everdeen," Eliza hissed, stalking over to her. She grabbed Rose's arm harshly, squeezing hard. "Where. Were. You?"

"I- I-" Rose stammered. She didn't know what to say.

"Tell me you weren't with a Seam boy," John said. Rose paled involuntarily. "Who?"

"No one," Rose lied. Eliza slapped her across the face. "I swear! I wasn't with anyone." Another slap. Rose had tears running down her cheeks, but she kept her stance. She couldn't rat Haymitch out- her father would kill him! And her, if she admitted to dating a boy from the Seam and then lying about it. Her best bet, she knew was to stick to her lie.

"Rose Jessica Bennett, you'd better tell us who you were with right now..." John threatened, grabbing Rose's other arm. Rose just kept crying.

"No one! I swear!" John threw Rose back and she hit her head on the door. She crumpled to the floor, holding her head as she cried.

"Get out." He muttered. Rose looked up, seeing the serious expression on her parents' faces. "And don't come back." Sobs racking her body, Rose stood and opened the door. She ran out, not knowing where to go. The only place she could think of was the house in the meadow. She ran all the way there, doing all she could to avoid Peacekeepers. When she made it to the house, she found the door locked. Rose cursed under her breath, remembering that Haymitch had the only key.

Rose curled up into a ball in the meadow not too far from the door. She looked up at the stars, crying herself to sleep.

The next morning, she woke up in the bed in the house. She was wrapped tight in a blanket and there was a fire going in the fireplace. Rose rubbed her eyes sleepily as she spotted Haymitch pouring steaming water into a mug. He dropped a few leaves- probably mint- into it and turned. When he noticed she was awake, he set the mug on the table and sat on the edge of the bed, right by the pillow that had been placed there. Wordlessly, Rose placed her head in Haymitch's lap.

Stroking her hair, Haymitch asked, "Do you want to tell me what happened?" Rose started crying again and told him what happened. Haymitch never cut in, never interrupted her. He let her get it all out, and handed her the mug of mint tea. She sipped from it, trying to calm down.

"What am I gonna do?" Rose asked, setting the empty mug on the floor and turning so she could look at Haymitch's face.

"It'll be okay," Haymitch assured her. "You can stay here. I'll make sure you have food and it'll be okay. I promise." Rose gave him a watery smile and stroked his cheek gently.

"Thank you for being so wonderful."

_The Reaping_

Rose had been horrified to hear that the 50th Hunger Games, the second Quarter Quell, would have twice the amount of tributes as usual. She stood in her place in the District Square, smoothing out her dress. She was wearing the dress she had met Haymitch in. It was one of the few things Amelia had been able to smuggle out of the house to give to her.

Rose was more nervous than ever for this Hunger Games. Not only were two extra tributes going to be reaped that day, but Rose had an extra entry in the bowl. She had had to take tesserae and oil in exchange for another entry, as she couldn't rely on Haymitch and his family to give up their food for her.

Rose stood, surrounded by other sixteen year olds, tapping her leg nervously as the woman from the Capitol announced the start of the Reaping. She could barely breath as the woman fished out two names from the bowl for girls.

"The female tributes from District Twelve will be... Mayislee Donner and Georgia Bentley." The usual cries were heard as family and friends started crying as the two girls were escorted by Peacekeepers to the stage. The woman from the Capitol acted as if nothing was wrong as she scurried over to the boys' bowl. She plucked two slips of paper from the bowl and returned to the microphone.

"And the male tributes from District Twelve are... Ronald Murphy and Haymitch Abernathy."

Rose felt like she had gotten kicked in the gut. This couldn't be happening. This could not be happening. Tears flowed down her cheeks and her knees buckled.

"No," she moaned, falling to the ground. "Not Haymitch. Anyone but him." She stayed on the ground sobbing- her worst nightmare was coming true- until she felt someone hug her. Well, two someones.

Rose looked up to see Amelia hugging her tightly on her right. On her left, to Rose's surprise, was Haymitch's younger brother. He had tearstained cheeks, as well.

When it came time to say goodbye, she couldn't stop crying. The entire time was spent on hugs and kisses and wiping tears and I love yous. The Peacekeepers literally had to drag her out of the room. That night, she returned to her little house, curled up on her bed, and cried herself to sleep once again.

_The Final Day_

Rose sat at her table, working on stitching "Welcome Home, Haymitch" on a piece of cloth to make a banner. Ever since Haymitch had won the Hunger Games, she hadn't been able to stop smiling. Haymitch's mother, Miranda, and his brother, Lyle, had already stopped by that morning. They were all going to meet the train at the station at four that afternoon. Rose had to hurry to finish her banner if she wanted to get over to Miranda's to eat a late lunch before.

Rose's head snapped up when her door was broken down. A Peacekeeper stomped in, grabbing her arm roughly.

"What are you doing?!" She cried. "Let me go!" The Peacekeeper didn't say anything, just began dragging her out of her house. She fought, though, digging her heels into the soft floor and pulling back. She was sure her arm would be bruised after this.

"Stop!" The Peacekeeper demanded. Rose glared at him and did the only thing she could think of. She kicked him in the nuts. He immediately let go of her and she bolted out of the house. She looked around wildly, trying to figure out where to run. She started off towards the forest, not sure what she was doing. Before she was halfway across the meadow, two Peacekeepers grabbed her arms and started dragging her toward the Town Square.

"Put me down!" Rose screamed. She tried to pull away from them unsuccessfully. One of the Peacekeepers punched her in the nose, which caused her head to snap back. Blood ran down her chin from her broken nose as she was dragged into the Square.

Rose's eyes widened in horror when she saw Miranda and Lyle were lying on the cobblestone. She was thrown next to them. She screamed as she fell hard on her back.

She couldn't do anything as she stared down the barrel of a gun. She saw the twitch of the Peacekeeper's finger and there was a loud bang. Everything went dark as Rose's head flew back, landing hard on the ground.


End file.
